Tilting device



F. J. BURNS TILTTNG DEVICE Feb. 14, 1939.

Filed Aug. 22, 1958 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 14, 19 39 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3,148,935 I Fred J. Burna fi: lfit auilnor to The Columbia Mills Inc., New

poratlon of New York York, N. Y., a cor- Application August 22, 1938, Serial No. 228,069

7 Claims. (CL 158-17) This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and

, more particularly to the tilting means for adjusting the slats to various angles of inclination.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a simple, practical and economical tilting device which is smooth and velvety in operation and which can be readily manufactured, assembled and/or disassembled. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket and tilting mechanism composed of few parts all of rugged and durable construction, and which is of neat and pleasing appearance.

A further object is to provide a blind tilting mechanism which permits the tilt rail and attached parts to be easily removed from or replaced in the window opening without disturbing the .relationship of the various parts, thus'facilitating the cleaning or repair of the blind and/0r window without the use of tools of any kind.

A further object still is to provide a practical and unique construction which permits the easy and quick mounting and relative arrangement of the sheave worm and shaft on the bracket as a unit, thus facilitating the assembly and minimizing the time required for the assembling operation.

The invention includes other features of advantage, other objects and novel mechanisms and combinations, which will appear at length in the following, wherein a present preferred form of construction is disclosed in connection with the drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing my tilting means associated with a Venetian blind headrail and tilt rail.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing the end bracket and worm assembly, the broken lines illustrating the various positions in which the worm assembly is placed in effecting its mounting or removal. I

Fig. 4 is a detail end view of the tilt rail wor wheel segment.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a detail front elevational view of the bracket.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the numeral 8 indicates the conventional head rail from which a tilt rail 9 is hung by means of brackets ID, the bracket shown in this application being a spe-' 55 cially designed bracket which supports the one assembly is mounted on the bracket.

end of the tilt rail, the other bracket (not shown) and which supports the opposite end, being of the conventional type at present in general use. The tilting mechanism includes a shaft worm and sheave which ismade up as a unit and then 5 mounted on the bracket, the worm It being mounted on the shaft l2 at a point intermediate its length, and the sheave I3 is mounted on the outer end of said shaft to form a complete assembly, and the mounting of this worm sheave and 10 shaft on the bracket as a unit presents certain .difllculties, which I have overcome in my improved construction. In the present instance the bracket I 0 is so shaped that it forms the bearings, etc., in which theworm shaft unit is mount- 15 ed, the upper end beingv flanged as at [4, and screws l5 serve to secure it to the headrail 8 in the usual manner.

Spaced apart front and rear walls l6 and II respectively are formed integr l. with the bracket ID, the lower end iii of the front wall bein bent in a horizontal plane,.and an opening I9 is provided therein, the marginal edge of the opening being drawn as shown at 20 to form a flange for a purpose to be presently described.

A constricted passage 2| ,is-provided in the .upper edge of this front wall and-opensinto an enlarged bearing 22 which is of a5size to acoommodate the shaft l2 on which the'worm II is mounted. 30

The rear wall i1 is formed on the inner side of the bracket as shown, said wall being punched from the main body and bent. at right angles thereto, said wall being of predetermined depth and having a rounded opening or hearing 23 provided in the lower edge thereof, and which is adapted to accommodate the grooved section 24 of the worm shaft l2, said groove being formed directly adjacent the inner end of the shaft, and eliminates any end movement .when the worm A turned section 25 is provided on the shaft [2 at a point between the sheave and the worm, and this is of prime importance as it permits of the easy and'quick mounting or removal of the worm shaft assembly, this turned section being of av diameter which permits it to pass through the passage 2| and into the bearing-J2, after which the worm shaft is shifted rearwardly, while slightly tilted, as clearly shown in the broken lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and until the turned section 2t is in vertical alignment with the bearing, the shaft is then swung to true horizontal position and the mounting is completed. I

A tilt cord 26 is trained over the sheave If, the

depending ends being threaded through the opening l9, so that the ends hang within easy reach of the operator for adjustment as desired.

A gear segment 21 is secured to the tilt bar 9 by means of screws 28, said segment meshing with and being driven by the worm II, a pintle 28 being provided on the end wall of said segment and is adapted to be journaled in the slotted opening 29 provided in the end wall of the bracket ID, the upper end of the opening 29 being of a size to accommodate and permit passage of the pintle 28, the lower end being of reduced diameter and is adapted to form a bearing for the turned section 30 of the pintle, this turned section also limiting the endwise movement of the tilt rail.

The toothed section of the segment is formed to permit the tilt bar rotating through an arc of degrees, so that the light rays may be entirely excluded if desired, and it will be obvious that the bar can be tilted as desired by operation of the cords 26.

With the above arrangement, the removal or replacement of the tilt bar is easy and simple, the segment 21 readily disengages from the worm II, and when in assembled position this segment tends to hold the shaft l2 in the bearing 23.

The worm wheel shaft assembly can be made on the bench as a unit, and the mounting on the bracket is easy and quick, there is no fine fitting, etc., requiring skilled mechanics and tools, it is a simple operation which can be satisfactorily performed by unskilled labor.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly obvious that I have perfected a very, simple, practical and substantial combination bracket and worm wheel shaft assembly for Venetian blinds.

What I claim is:

1. A blind tilting mechanism of the class described including an end bracket, turned sections formed integral with the bracket, open bearings provided therein, a constricted passage opening into one of said bearings, a worm and shaft assembly adapted to be mounted in said bearings as a unit, and a turned section on said shaft to permit the mounting or removal of the worm and shaft assembly as a unit.

2. A blind tilting mechanism of the class described including an end bracket adapted to be attached to a headrail, turned sections formed integral with the bracket and formed with open bearings therein, and a worm and shaft assembly adapted to be journaled in said bearings as a unit, said shaft having a turned section adapted to engage one of said bearings and prevent endwise movement of the shaft assembly when it is mounted on the bracket.

3. A blind'tilting mechanism of the class described and including an end bracket adapted to be secured to a h'eadrail and support a tilt rail, turned sections on said bracket, open bearings in said sections and opening in opposite directions, a

worm and shaft assembly adapted to be demountably mounted in said bearings, means on said shaft to prevent endwise movement when the unit is mounted in the bearings, and a tilt segment on the end of the tilt rail and engageable with said worm for tilting the blind when the worm assembly is actuated.

4. A blind tilting mechanism of the character described and including an end bracket adapted to support a tilt rail and formed with laterally disposed wall sections, open bearings formed in said walls, a worm shaft unit adapted to be mounted in said bearings and comprising a sheave, worm and shaft, means on the shaft to prevent endwise movement of the shaft when in mounted position, a segment on the tilt rail in toothed engagement with the worm, a pintle on said segment, and a bearing in said bracket and formed with an enlarged section to permit removal of said tilt rail segment prior to the removal of the worm shaft.

5. A blind tilting mechanism of the character described including a bracket having front and rear wall sections formed integral therewith, open bearings in said walls and opening in opposite directions, a worm, sheave, and shaft assembly adapted to be mounted in said bearings as a unit, a turned section on the shaft, and a constricted passage opening leading into the front wall bearing to admit the shaft being inserted in the bearing prior to its endwise movement to shift it into the bearing in the rear wall.

6. A blind tilting mechanism of the character described including an end supporting bracket formed with spaced apart front and rear walls,

open bearings in said walls and opening in opposite directions, a worm, sheave, and shaft assembly adapted to be mounted in said bearings as a unit, a constricted passage opening into the bearing in the end wall, a turned section on the shaft and accommodated by said passage, a groove in said shaft directly adjacent the end thereof, said groove engaging the bearing in the rear wall after the shaft assembly has been shifted endwise to proper position.

'7. A blind tilting mechanism of the class described and including an end bracket formed with spaced front and rear walls, open bearings formed in said walls and opening in Opposite directions, a constricted passage opening into the front wall bearing, a sheave, worm and shaft assembly adapted to be mounted in said bearings as a unit and having a turned section adapted to be accommodated by said passage to permit the shaft being placed in the bearing, and thence shifted endwise and then upward to engage the bearing in the rear wall, and means to prevent endwise movement of the shaft after it was mounted in the rear wall bearing.

FRED J. BURNS. 

